Email Author William Michael Smith

2010 Stories by William Michael Smith

• Marshall Chapman: More Fun Than A Three-Legged Goat

  published Oct 28, 2010

  Songwriter extraordinaire, guitar-slinger, author and Southern belle supreme Marshall Chapman will be playing her first Houston gig in ages Thursday, February 17, at McGonigel's Mucky Duck. Accordin... More >>

• For the Sake of the Song: Sanitized, Still Essential

  published Oct 26, 2010

  No discussion of Houston music history is complete without mentioning Montrose folk venue Anderson Fair. The list of performers alone is staggering, but there's more to the old spaghetti restaurant th... More >>

• Sideshow Tramps

  published October 28, 2010

  Nearing completion of their long-awaited second album, Montrose musical collective Sideshow Tramps have been getting out of town at least one week... More >>

• When Frank Sinatra Played Juarez... And Galveston

  published Oct 21, 2010

  Already a poet laureate of Americana before he moved to El Paso about ten years ago, Tom Russell's border tenure has seen him produce some great hardscrabble portraits of sketchy characters and haunti... More >>

• Two Star Symphony Moves Onstage For First Course

  published Oct 18, 2010

  Diverse and in-demand Houston Press Music Award-winning classical ensemble Two Star Symphony hits Hobby Center this week as part of Dominic Walsh Dance Theater's program, First Course. Houston's most... More >>

• Blanco's Honky-Tonk Hot Streak Finally Runs Out

  published Oct 15, 2010

  Lonesome Onry and Mean recently opined that one of the reasons honky-tonk bands are back in vogue in Houston is that some of the better musicians in town have gravitated to honky-tonk bands in the las... More >>

• Arthur Yoria Following His Heart To New York City

  published Oct 15, 2010

  Longtime Houston pop-rock scenester Arthur Yoria is moving to New York City in December. And for all the right reasons. "There's a gal involved," Yoria chuckled when we spoke by phone this week. Y... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  Hands Up Post: Honky-Tonk Houston's Done Got Out Of Hand

  published Oct 12, 2010

  A recent thread on the Hands Up Houston message board found poster "honky honk" complaining (and mangling the English language): Dear Houston. Why are you excepting [sic] this right wing, overtly... More >>

• Sue Foley & Peter Karp

  published October 14, 2010

  Canadian-born blues diva Sue Foley takes a new musical tack on her latest album and tour, a musical departure courtesy of Americana/blues... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  Singapore Noodles from Tan Tan

  published Oct 11, 2010

  I lived in Singapore four-and-a-half years and transited through there off and on for another two while I was living in New Delhi, but I have to confess: I never ran into anything called Singapore Noo... More >>

• Little Joe Y La Familia Heat Up Festival Chicano

  published Oct 08, 2010

  Miller Outdoor Theatre may self-combust tonight when the classic orquesta Tejana sounds of Grammy winners Little Joe y la Familia waft forth into what promises to be a temperate, perfect evening for m... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  Honky-Tonk Heaven Returns To Houston

  published Oct 06, 2010

  It may be Wetback Wednesday at some bar in Huntsville, but in H-Town the first Wednesday of every month has become Honky Tonk Wednesday, when the lineup for those interested in gettin' their tonk on i... More >>

• Two Cow Garage

  published October 7, 2010

  When Two Cow Garage burst out of the unlikely burg of Columbus, Ohio, onto the alt-country scene with 2002's Please Turn the Gas Back On,... More >>

• Exile In Margaritaville: Marshall Chapman Blooms After Jimmy Buffett

  published Oct 05, 2010

  A year ago, Lonesome Onry and Mean wrote in these pages about the passing of a rather unsung musical giant, Tim Krekel. So it was quite a pleasant surprise to recently open a bubble-pack and find Mars... More >>

• Saturday Night: Raul Malo At House Of Blues' Bronze Peacock

  published Oct 04, 2010

  Raul Malo House of Blues (Bronze Peacock Room) October 2, 2010 Raul Malo torched the Bronze Peacock Room at House of Blues Saturday night. Faced with a rowdy, lively audience packed with a huge perce... More >>

• The Black Ryder Growing A Cult Of Its Own

  published Oct 01, 2010

  Hayden Scott, whom we met recently when he was drumming for Gram Rabbit at Last Concert Cafe in August, emailed Lonesome Onry and Mean to say that he's playing drums with The Black Ryder, the Sydney, ... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  Aubrey's In Aldine: A Honky-Tonk Time Warp

  published Sep 29, 2010

  As mentioned in our honky-tonk cover story last month, Aubrey's Club in north Houston is a step back in time. Lonesome Onry and Mean drove out there last winter to catch longtime Houston country singe... More >>

• San Antonio, Baby

  published September 30, 2010

  Born and raised in Miami, Raul Malo may be Cuban-American, but he's got a strong jones for late Texan Doug Sahm. When Malo's band the Mavericks... More >>

• Michael Guerra: Accordionist At Home In Texas' Musical Menudo

  published Sep 28, 2010

  At 29, San Antonio accordionista Michael Guerra has built quite a resume, playing with Texmaniacs, the Tex-Mex Experience, Texas Tornados, the Krayolas and Rick Trevino. Not bad for an Angeleno who ca... More >>

• Blues Benefit Honors Late Drummer "Butch" Dempsey

  published Sep 26, 2010

  Longtime Houston blues scenester Mark May is hosting a benefit this afternoon at the Continental Club for his longtime drummer Clyde "Butch" Dempsey, who passed away this past July. Joining May on t... More >>

• Raul Malo: Real Country Music Lost In The Pop-Culture Forest

  published Sep 23, 2010

  Former Mavericks lead singer Raul Malo brings a new band and a new album, Saints & Sinners, to House of Blues' Bronze Peacock Room next Saturday, Oct. 2. Self-produced in Malo's home studio, Sinners f... More >>

• Confusion, Cancellations Alter Weekend Music Landscape

  published Sep 17, 2010

  There's been some confusion surrounding tomorrow's Rockers vs. Mods Hustle Town Rumble - "Cafe Bikes vs. Classic Scooters Meets Rock 'n' Roll" - at the Continental Club tomorrow. Rocks Off received a... More >>

• The Rolling Stones At Hofheinz Pavilion In 1972, Firsthand

  published Sep 16, 2010

  Ed. Note: Rocks Off's own Lonesome Onry and Mean himself, William Michael Smith, attended the Rolling Stones concert at Hofheinz Pavilion in June 1972 that was filmed for the movie Ladies and Gentleme... More >>

• Girls And Richard Julian Both Need Attention

  published Sep 15, 2010

  Talking a streak at the edge of the bed She looked like fresh piece of cake Unable to get with the things that she said I pretended I wasn't awake Unless you have an ear to the New York folk undergr... More >>

• Black Keys-Approved, Hacienda Debuts Here In November

  published Sep 14, 2010

  Hacienda, the rapidly ascending San Antonio rock band that recently released its second album, Big Red and Barbacoa, to rave reviews across the spectrum, will play its first-ever Houston-area show at ... More >>